Vending machine



July 15, 1941.

w. A. TRATSCH VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l I 27 52 o o 31 26 O 26-"'0 N I 28 25w L i Walier A Tra fscfi I N VENT OR.

17/5 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VENDING MACHINE Walter A. Tratsch, Chicago, Ill. Application January 13, 1939, Serial No.- 250,678

Claims. (Cl. 194-10) This invention pertains to vending machines, and has as its principal obiect the provision of improved control and operating mechanism whereby an article may be selectively vended from one of several compartments by mechanism driven from a single motor and operably controlled by a single coin testing device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention reside in a novel clutch arrangement and associated electrical control devices, all of which will be more particularly brought out hereinafter as the following description proceeds in view of the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front perspective of a vending machine and control assembly;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of one of the clutch control units;

Fig. 3 is a vertical side section along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical fragmentary section through the lower discharge part of one of the vending conveyors or magazines, as seen from line 4---4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 isa vertical section through the coin block and selecting means of the coin testing unit as viewed. along lines 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical side section through the part of the coin control device seen in Fig. 5;

Fig. 6A is a perspective view of the coin controlled switch means seen in Fig. 6; a

Fig. 7 is a perspective layout of the empty or supervisory switch controlled by the magazine shelves;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the empty or supervisory switch to larger scale; and

Fig. 9 is a circuit diagram.

In the preferred arrangement of Fig. 1, a plurality of vending mechanisms l5 are disposed in the front of a'cabinet l6 provided with a door l1 on which is a selecting switch I8 adapted to be set by the patron in selecting one of the columns or magazines l5 from which an article is to be delivered. Having made his selection, the patron deposits a coin into a slot is on the door, which registers with a coin chute 20 leading into a coin testing unit 2|, and the coin, if a proper one, will actuate certain control mechanism to set the dispensing mechanism into operation.

The vending or dispensing mechanism is preferably of the continuous conveyor type including a plurality of article-sustaining shelves 25 (Fig. 1) each pivotally supported as at 26 (Fig. 4) between pairs of continuous chains 21, so that the shelves may pivot about horizontal axes at right angles to the door when the latter is closed.

Each conveyor chain 21 is trained over a driving sprocket 21' (Figs. 3'and 4) at its lower part, and each sprocket is keyed for rotation with a shaft 28 rotatable with apinion or bevel gear 29 and a reset disc 30, driven through the agency of a special clutch arrangement.

Th several dispensingshelves 25 would normally gravitate into lowered or article-discharging position, but are prevented from doing so by fingers 3| (Fig. 4) on each shelf, which ride along a vertical sustaining track 32 extending from the top of the conveyor column down to a discharge terminus 33. When the finger on the lowermost shelf 25a rides beyond the terminus 33, the shelf will drop (e. g. shelf 25b) and the article of merchandise thereon will gravitate into a dispensing chute 35 (Fig. 1) common to all of the magazines or columns. Tripped shelves are automatically restored by subsequent movement over and around the top of the column.

Means for advancing the conveyor or dispensing apparatus in steps includes a cyclically operable clutch mechanism shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, and including a common drive shaft 36 driven by a single motor 310. and passing transversely before each of the pinions 29 of the several dispensing units. Before each driven pinion or bevel gear 29 is an intermediate clutch pinion 31 floating on the common shaft and meshing with the corresponding dispenser pinion. As the common or countershaft 36 is revolved by the motor, the several clutch pinions remain motionless since, ordinarily, there is nothing to key them to the shaft.

Each dispensing unit is provided with a clutch element including a sleeve 38 slidably keyed, as at 39, to the countershaft and having clutch teeth 40 arranged to mesh with similar teeth M on the intermediate pinion when the sleeve is slid from normal position (Fig. 2) toward the right.

Means for shifting the sleeve back and forth includes a plate 45 pivoted as at 46 and having an offset arm 41 disposed to ride freely in a circumferential groove 48 on the sleeve. Thus, as the plate 45is rocked, the sleeve will slide back and forth on the countershaft.

A restoring member 50 is pivoted, as at 5|,so as to bear against an offset ear 52 (Fig. 3) on the clutch plate 45 and move the latter into a normal (disengaged) position through the urgence of a spring 53 attached at one end to an ear 54 on the restoring plate or member and anchored at its other end 55.

Means for shifting the clutch operating plate lever 50, which is disposed in the path of pins generally indicated at 8i, on the control or reset disc 38, these pins being spaced in a predetermined manner corresponding to the number of dispensing operations to be performed, as will be made to appear hereinafter. To illustrate the operation of the device, certain pins are designated Sia, Bib.

Assoon as the sleeve meshes with the intermediate pinion, following energization of the clutch magnet 56, one of the pins iia will be moved against the arm 68 on the reset lever and carry the latter toward the right and against a carry-oven switch 85 (at which time a master switch 10, later to be described, is opened). whereupon the pin tla will pass out of engagement with the arm 68 so that the now fully tensioned spring 58 may snap the reset lever back against the clutch lever 45 to restore the same to normal position and disengage the sleeve 88. This completes one vending operation.

The master switch is under control of the coin unit and includes a multiple leaf spring contact assembly 18 biased to closed-circuit condition and normally held open by an operating lever Ii pivoted as at 12 with an insulated rocker l3 bearing against an operating spring leaf 18a having an insulated stud which bears against the uppermost contact spring 10b so as to urge the latter away from the companion contact springs 10c and 18d whereby to dispose all of the contacts in open-circuit condition. A magnetically attractable latch lever 18 has a lug 16 which catches in a notch on the switch operating lever 'II and holds the latter in switch-opening position against the tension of the operating leaf spring 10a. A master-switch operating magnet 11 is energized by the closing of a coincontrolled switch 88, later to be set forth, and disengages the latch lever Iii to free the switch lever for movement (anti-clockwise) by the resiliency of the operating leaf spring 18a so that the contacts of the master switch I8 may close.

The master switch is reset automatically at the conclusion of each dispensing cycle by engagement of a particular (Bib) one of the pins 8i on the reset disc with an end of the lever ll, moving the latter clockwise so that the switch contacts are opened and the armature latch (which is spring-urged by spring 15a into normal position as seen in Fig. 2) may again latch the master switch in open-circuit condition.

A- coin-controlled switch 88 is arranged for coaction with the testing unit 2i (Figs. 1 and 6) and is actuated by a light lever 8| pivoted on the testing unit with an end horizontally disposed and bent back upon itself to provide a lever 82 in the path of accepted coin elements near the acceptance exit 83 of the testing unit. As an acceptable coin moves down into the exit 83 and selecting chute 84, it transiently engages the portion 82 of the switch operating lever 8i and closes switch 88, thus energizing the master switch magnet, as will be described in detail in conjunction with the circuit diagram of Fig. 9.

aasaase By the time the coin disengages the coin switch lever II, the master switch will have been operated to energize a selecting magnet 88 (Figs. 1 and 5), mounted on the selecting chute, to attract an armature 8| pivoted as at 82 and having attached thereto a. selecting gate or deflector 88 disposed in the selecting chute above a collection chute 84, which leads into a cash box I8, and a return. chute 88, which leads into the marchandise dispensing chute or bin 88. The deflector 82 is normally disposed to guide a coin into the return chute,'but whenever the master switch is operated, the selecting magnet is energized to shift the deflector so as to guide the coin into the collection box.

Means for regulating the movement of accepted coins into engagement with the coin switch includes a cut-off arm 81 secured at one end to the selecting armature 8i and having an offset nose 88 at the opposite end disposed to project into the exit 88 above the coin-engaging end 82 of the coin switch lever so as to block coins from engaging the latter as long as the selecting magnet 88 (and hence the master switch) remains thereon will close the switch, whereas the weight of the shelf alone is insufllcient for this purpose. The switches I00 are connected in series with the corresponding master switch magnets 11 so that if there is no article on the shelf of the column selected, the master switch cannot be operated, and hence the selecting magnet will not operate and the coin will be returned.

Referring now to the circuit diagram of Fig. 9, the motor 31a. is connected by conductor ill to one side of a battery Iii, the opposite side of the motor being connected by conductor 2 to one of the master contact springs 10b and to one side of the selecting magnet 88. Another master control contact 180 is connected by conductor 3 to the return side of the battery. Thus closing of the master switch contacts 18b and 180 will energize the motor and the selecting magnet 90 since the latter has its remaining terminal connected by conductor ill to the first terminal of the battery with conductor 8..

The coin switch has one of its contacts 88a connected by conductor iii to one of the contacts Illa of the supervisory or empty" switches, the remaining contacts iiiilb of which are connected by conductors H8 to one side of the corresponding master switch magnets II.

The remaining terminal of each master switch coin switch 88 will energize one of the masterswitch magnets 11 depending upon the setting of switch i8 by the patron, and the motor and coin selecting magnet will be energized. At the a same time the corresponding clutch magnet 88 2,249,230 will be energized through connection of one side thereof by conductor Hi to one side of the battery, and connection of the remaining terminal to the return side of the battery through ormally open contacts "a and lie of the m ter switch, which are in closed circuit condition by reason of the latch lever 1 I having been released by energization of said magnet ll.

The clutch magnet will remain energized as long as the master switch is closed, which is to say, dining at half revolution of the reset disc 3.,

at which time mastefswitch lever II will be reset by pin lb on the disc. In order to assure positive action of the clutch reset and master switch reset. the carry-over switch It is connected by conductors I22 and I23 in shunt around the master contacts 10b and 100 so as to keep the motor energized a brief interval between the time the master switch is opened and reset, and the disengagement of reset pin li with the arm ll of the reset lever, at which time the reset lever flies back against the clutch lever and disengagesthe carry-over switch, with all mechanisms reset and at rest.

Statement of operation Asuming shelves I! (Fig. 1) to be loaded, or

c at least that there is an article on each of the lowermost shelves 250, so that the supervisory switches ill are closed, the patron turns selecting switch arm II to a contact l8b corresponding to the desired stack of shelves, whereupon a proper coin is deposited in chute 20 and the testing unit 2i causes the coin, if acceptable, to gravitate against coin switch operating lever II to close switch 80, whereupon the master switch operating magnet ll corresponding to the particular selector contact lib which was chosen, will be energized with a consequent closing of master switch contacts llb and 'lllc, causing deflector magnet 90 to attract armature 9i and shift the deflector 92 from return to "collect" position, so that by the time the coin reaches the deflector, it will be guided into the cash box 95 via chute 94.

Operation of the master switch as aforesaid also closes contacts lie and lid to energize the corresponding clutch operating magnet 56 which causes the clutch elements l04l to. engage and drive the sprocket chain for the corresponding group of shelves, since motor 31a has meanwhile been started by the closing of the master switch contacts Nb and lllc as aforesaid, thereby driving the common shaft.

As the bottom shelf 25a. is further lowered, its retaining rider 2| passes 011 the track 22 (and subsequently oil the supervisory switch arm ill) so that the shelf drops and discharges the article to the patron. Thereafter, one of the pins lb, etc., rocks master switch lever ll back into latched position (Fig. 2) and opens the master switch contacts. Meanwhile, the slide plate ill, having been moved against the carry-over switch to close the same and shunt the motor circuit through the master switch, will be released by rotative disengagement of whichever pin i, la, lib, etc., may have engaged part 60, so that the plate BI is snapped by spring 52 (toward the left) to disengage the clutch, after which the parts are ready for the next vending operation.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized in otherforms of construction and arrangement of parts, and the invention is to include all equivalents in form, arrangement,

and mode of operation fairly coming within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vending machine in combination, a plurality of vending mechanisms, each operable to successively vend articles, a motor, electrically operated clutch means for each vending mechanism and arranged to drivingly connect the same with said motor, coin-controlled switch means comprising a coin operated switch and a relay switch operable thereby connected in circuit with the electrical operating means of said clutch means and operable to efl'ect operation of any of said clutch means, reset means operatively associated with said clutch means and coacting with the latter for operating said coin-controlled relay switch means to deenergize the electrical operating means of said clutch means when the corresponding vending mechanism has been operated to vend a predetermined number of articles.

2. The combination of claim 1 further characterized by the provision of quick-acting clutch restoring means coacting with the aforesaid reset means driven by said clutch means and including a spring driven reset member tensioned by said reset means and released by the latter to engage said clutch means and restore the same quickly to inoperative condition, substantlally at the conclusion of the complete operation of the corresponding vending mechanism by said coin-controlled relay switch means.

3. In a device of the class described, control means comprising: a driving shaftand a driven shaft, clutch means, electrically actuated operating means therefor, said clutch means being operable drivingly interconnecting said shafts, a master switch of a type adapted to be reset after each operation thereof and connected in circuit for operation to energize said clutch operating means, electromagnetic means adapted when energized to release said master switch, a coin operated switch connected in circuit with said electromagnetic means to energize the latter upon closing of said and driven mechanism coacting with said clutch means for resetting said said driven shaft has been driven a predetermined amount.

4. In a device of the class described, control clutch means operable to interconnect said members, electromagnetic means arranged for energization to actuate said clutch means to drivingly connect said members, a. normally open master switch adapted to assume closed condition connected in circuit with said electromagnetic means when closed, and releasable means for latching the master switch in circuit condition, means for releasing said latching means to permit said normally opened master switch to close, and reset mechanism coacting with said driven member for periodically resetting said master switch in latched open-circuit condition.

5. In a device of the class described, control means including driving and driven members,

clutch means operable to drivingly connect said coin operated switch,

master switch when' latching the master switch in open-circuit condition, means for releasing said latching means,

reset mechanism coacting with said driven member for periodically resetting said master switch in latched condition, and spring driven means tensioned by said driven members when drivingly connected as aforesaid, and coacting with said reset means to be released for quick movement to engage and restore said clutch means to normal non-operated condition.

6. In a device of the class described, control means including driving and driven members, clutch means operable to drivingly connect said members, electro-magnetic clutch operating means arranged for energization to operate the clutch and drivingly connect said members, a master switch adapted to assume a closed circuit condition connected in a circuit to energize said electro-magnetic means, releasable means for latching the same in open-circuit condition,, means for releasing said latching means, reset mechanism coacting with said driven member for periodically resetting said master switch in latched condition, and means coacting with said reset means and clutch means for effecting quick and positive restoration oi? said clutch means toa non-operated conditioni 7. Control means comprising a driving member and a driven member, clutch means including a clutch element movable back and forth into and out of operated position to drivingly interconnect said driving and driven members, a clutch operating member movable back and] forth to move said clutch element into and out of operated position, electrical means for moving said clutch operating member in a particular direction to operate the clutch, a reset member urged by spring means in an opposite direction into engagement ,with said clutch operating member to move the same and the clutch element into normal non-operated position, and driven reset means coacting with said driven member for periodically and transiently engaging said reset member to move the same in said particular direction and release the reset member for quick movement of said spring means to move the clutch operating member quickly and positively out of clutch operating position back to normal position.

8. Control mechanism comprising driving and driven members, clutch means adapted to inter-.- connect said driving and driven means, electrical means for operating said clutch and arranged when energized to drivingly interconnect said driving and driven members, an operating switch normally latched in open-circuit condition and eflective when in closed circuit condition to energize the electrical operating means 01 said clutch means, reset means rotated cooperatively with said driven member .and including means periodically and transiently engaging said operating switch to reset the same to latched open circuit condition, a carry-over switch, and means associated with said reset means coacting with the latter for actuating said carry-over switch to energize the clutch operating means for a certain time during resetting of said operating switch.

9. Control mechanism comprising driving and driven members, clutch means adapted to interconnect said driving and driven members, electrical means arranged when energized to operate said clutch to drivingly interconnect said driving and driven members, an operating switch normally latched in open-circuit condition to energize the electrical operating means of said clutch means, reset means rotated cooperatively with said driven member and including means periodically and transiently engaging said operating switch to reset the same to latched opencircuit condition, and a clutch restoring member periodically and transiently engaged by said reset means for operation to eflect quick restoration of said clutch means to normal non-operated condition.

'10. Control mechanism comprising driving and driven members, and electrical means associated therewith and clutch means arranged when energized to operate said clutch to drivingly interconnect said driving and driven members, an operating switch normally latched in opencircuit condition and effective when in closed circuit condition to energize the electrical operating means of said clutch means, reset means rotated cooperatively with said driven member and including means periodically and transient- 1y engaging said operating switch to reset the same to latched open circuit condition, a clutch restoring member periodically and transiently engaged by said reset means for operation to eifect quick restoration of said clutch means to normal non-operated condition, a carry-over] switch, and means associated with said reset means coacting the latter to actuate said carryover switch to energize said electrical operating means of said clutch means for a certain time during resetting of said operating switch.

WALTER A. TRATSCH. 

